Technical Field
This disclosure relates to microfluidic circuits and to techniques for constructing them.
Description of Related Art
Microfluidic technology typically includes devices that can manage and move amounts of fluid on a scale of nano-liters or smaller. Typically, microfluidic devices have channels for transferring fluids where the Reynolds number is less than 100 and often times lower than 1. In this regime of Reynolds numbers, the flow may be laminar. Systems of this nature are rapidly becoming desirable tools for a variety of applications, including high-precision materials synthesis, biochemical sample preparation, and biophysical analysis. Microfluidic devices are commonly fabricated in monolithic form by means of microfabrication. This can limit device construction to a planar geometry, which can be functionally limiting and expensive.
Modular microfluidic platforms have been conceived, but are all limited to 2-dimensional platforms, and do not allow for allow for device assembly in 3-dimensions. Furthermore, other modular microfluidic platforms are generally limited in scope (e.g., may only create microfluidic flow paths with little other functionality), are prohibitively expensive, are difficult to use, or use nonstantadized footprints, models, or connectors/ports. Some may only produce very specific types of structures (e.g., mixers). Further still, other modular microfluidic platforms do not allow for facile integration of sensors or actuators into their components, which further limits the scope of device applications.
Therefore, an improved modular microfluidic platform is needed.